Stripped Valve Cover Bolts [Merged 5-8]

[NA4g63]

Hey guys, im new to this site but anywho...
Almost all the bolts holding my valve cover down were stripped, i dunno if any of you have this problem but what i did was get a 1/4" 20 thread tap, 6-3/4" 20 thread 1/4" diameter bolts, 8-" 20 thread 1/4" dia. bolts, 14 1/4" dia. washers.
Take the valve cover off and use the tap to make the holes a little larger. be damn careful not to get the little alluminum shavings in the engine.

 

[kromwell]

Hey guys... I did a search and didn't find anyone that really had an answer to this. I know one measurement is 6mm x 1.00. Is that a diameter? Also, I think their are about 14 bolts total holding down the valve cover... does anyone know all their lengths? I have a Haynes manual in front of me but that really isn't helping. Anything will help! Thanks guys!

 

[VanIsleDSM]

from my memory there are 14 bolts, 8 of them are M6x25mm and 6 of them are M6x20mm

thread pitch is probably 1.25, having a bit of a brain fart on that one right now.

 

[Zmann42087]

I just checked my Chilton's for specs but I couldn't find anything.

Not sure why you need to know, but when I swapped in my powder coated valve cover last summer I just replaced all my VC bolts with new SS bolts from Bonehead Performance (DSMtuners vendor). The kit came with all the bolts I needed and they fit perfect.

Bonehead sells both hex style VC bolts and allen head VC bolts.

 

[romeen]

that means that its a 6mm bolt and it is one inch long... you need to get the correct thread pitch as well.... I know its finer than a 1.10 or a 1.00 thread pitch

The 1.00 in the bolt designation (M6x1.00) refers to the thread pitch, not the length.

 

[kromwell]

I just checked my Chilton's for specs but I couldn't find anything.

Not sure why you need to know, but when I swapped in my powder coated valve cover last summer I just replaced all my VC bolts with new SS bolts from Bonehead Performance (DSMtuners vendor). The kit came with all the bolts I needed and they fit perfect.

Bonehead sells both hex style VC bolts and allen head VC bolts.

I need to know because I'm getting me valve cover powder coated as well.

 

[staticbrainwash]

SSSTUDS.com Has everything you need. Check it out.

 

[Zmann42087]

I need to know because I'm getting me valve cover powder coated as well.

Good call!

Do yourself a favor and do it right. Replace your valve cover bolts with a SS bolt kit (linked to in my previous post) and the VC gasket with a new one. I also went ahead and changed my spark plugs and spark plug wires since I was working around there anyways. This is optional (of course), but I'd definitely recommend it. At the very least, gap your spark plugs.

 

[TSIkw]

My valve cover has been leaking oil so i went to put in a new gasket only to find a bunch of the bolt holes in the head are stripped.

There are already heli coils in the holes from before i got the car so I'm thinking i'll have to go up a size.

My question is; when going up a size, should i get a heli coil kit one size bigger or can i just use the next size tap to rethread the holes?

 

[Cs4g63]

Check to see if its the threads that the coil threads into or if its the itself coil that has been damaged and gone bad. If its just a damaged coil than you should be able to just replace it.

 

[Defiant]

You won't be able to tap a HeliCoil hole unless you get the old coil out, first. LocTite Form-A-Thread may be worth a shot.

 

[TSIkw]

The heli coli is out of a couple of the stripped holes. I also put the bolt back in the hole after the heli coil was taken out and it still seemed tight. I was thinking i might be able to get some new threading started with a tap then locktite it without a new coil.

 

[romeen]

LocTite Form-A-Thread may be worth a shot.

I have tried this stuff and it doesn't work nearly as well as claimed. In general I don't recommend it. However, it may be enough for the very low torque of the VC bolts.

 

[xdsmlaser93x]

Why not just drill it and tap a hole for a bolt 1/4- 20 and call it a day?

 

[oldman]

Before you try any of the methods mentioned above, goto Home Depot and pick up some slightly longer bolts, there should be more threads on the bottom to grab, I have two holding together like that just fine. With that said, the ones with helicoil might not be so lucky, all depends on how far down the person before you have drilled.

 

[boostnhard]

Oldman is right, in my car almost all of them were stripped and leaking. Just got longer ones and that solved my problem.

 

[TSIkw]

I was planning on buying longer bolts but the helicoil fell right out of two of the holes. but i can try to see if longer bolts will grab any threads below where the helicoil was.

 

[Jc'sLaserRs]

Ok after fixed my car i remembered the o ring broke on the dipstick. So there was just air going through the system instead of oil. But i found something else while i took the valve cover off to check to see if oil was getting threw a Little was but then figured the dipstick. But yeah anyways the 2 bolts that go on the out side of the valve cover the one on the back and the one in the front. Are just turning... they don't tighten down at all they just sit there is this bad ?? and i also never have messed with the valve cover other wise. Never had problems with it so i think the mechanics stripped the treads so would it affect anything or should i just recoil them.

 

[Cs4g63]

Just helicoil them. The only thing that will be affected is that you might have a problem sealing the valve cover if you dont.

 

[Defiant]

Ok after fixed my car i remembered the o ring broke on the dipstick. So there was just air going through the system instead of oil.

What?

 

[GsxProject]

I have the same problem, my question is what size heli coils do i get for the bolts on the valve cover???

 

[DsM KiD4]

What?

anyways, your better off taking your car to a machine shop to helicoil your valve cover bolts instead of doing it yourself. should cost about $30. Just my opinion

 

[dsm-onster]

anyways, your better off taking your car to a machine shop to helicoil your valve cover bolts instead of doing it yourself. should cost about $30. Just my opinion

Doing it yourself is cake. You pay $25 for the coils and the tool and tap. And you get to keep the tools. Why take the time to pull the head and on op of that add the cost of a new head gasket ($40-60) plus any other gaskets/parts that may break ???

 

[donmagicjuan]

anyways, your better off taking your car to a machine shop to helicoil your valve cover bolts instead of doing it yourself. should cost about $30. Just my opinion

You do know this procedure is performed on the threads in the head, not on the bolts, right?

 

[ilikespeeding]

Ok after fixed my car i remembered the o ring broke on the dipstick. So there was just air going through the system instead of oil.

We didn't really get an answer on this one. Were you under the assumption that because your dipstick was missing that you had no oil pressure? The dipstick sits in the oil pan, the oil pickup is on the bottom of the oil pan. The dipstick doesnt seal pressurized oil.

 

[Ho0ked]

I have the same problem, my question is what size heli coils do i get for the bolts on the valve cover???

Simple, take the bolts to the hardware, auto store, and use the thread matcher device they have, if the store doesnt have one, run away

I helicoiled mine but I forgot the size and I'm at work, sorry.

For the OP, yes helicoil the bolts, its cheap, easy, and simple, just take your time, go slowly. a leaking vavle cover just sucks ass it makes a mess, blows around your engine bay, and can even catch fire if it leaks on the exhaustmani/turbo.

Fix it asap and you will be glad you did